Dodgers send Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta mound dirt, rubber from his no-hitter
Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta received some nice parting gifts from the Los Angeles Dodgers the day after throwing a no-hitter against them Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
“Really nice gesture,” Arrieta told ESPN.com. “They sent a bucket of dirt from the mound, and they dug up the pitching rubber, which weighed 60 pounds. That’s something I’ll cherish as much or more than anything I’ve been given throughout the process.”
Arrieta, who tweeted a photo of the rubber on a scale, allowed just two baserunners — one on a walk and one on a controversial error — in his 2-0 win over L.A. He ran his record to 17-6 with a 2.11 ERA following his 14th straight quality start.
The Dodgers also sent authenticated game-used baseballs from the no-no, which Arrieta said he’ll give to his family and friends.
“Grateful they sent that stuff to us,” he said.
That was a classy move by the Dodgers, who’ve had plenty of practice in no-hitter etiquette after getting no-hit for the second time in 10 days.
However, it could be argued they stole a page from Pete Carroll’s playbook. The Seahawks coach sent the Patriots the Lombardi Trophy in February via air mail.